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View Full Version : Are Radioshack IC3s rebranded Rayovak IC3s?


pinoyboy
2006.11.13, 11:29 AM
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?parentPage=search&summary=summary&cp=2032056.2032148&productId=2103971&accessories=accessories&kw=battery&kwCatId=2032056&techSpecs=techSpecs&currentTab=techSpecs&custRatings=custRatings&f=Taxonomy%2FRSK%2F2032148&features=features&categoryId=2032148&support=support&tab=features

I bought a modified mini z thats coming with a few Raovak IC3 batteries and the 15min charger. If I ever need to get a new pack of batteries, will the the radioshack IC3s give me the same performance?

madf1man
2006.11.13, 01:08 PM
They are the same and they are a good battery.

rharris
2006.11.13, 03:16 PM
Radio Shack is discontinuing their re branded IC3's.

If they are on the shelf, they are usually half price. Once the stock is gone, they will not restock.

I've been buying them up wherever I can find them. :D

pinoyboy
2006.11.13, 03:18 PM
good to know, and thanks for the help guys :D

Draconious
2006.11.13, 03:27 PM
They are SUPOSE to be the same, but from what I heard, the radio shacks tend to act up or fail... but it could just be user error...

I think rayovac is quiting the IC3 line too... since I dont see it in any stores any more... I prefer them, so I grabed some discontinued stock from buy.com recently bought a few packs of IC3 for only 5$ a set of 4... :) usualy they are 12-14$ a pack.

They still pop up on ebay now and then...

I do intend to modify mycharger to always be in 15 minute mode tho...

the black end of the cell label is a 10-20ohm resistor, when the charger detects this it enables 15 minute mode other wise it charges in 16 hour mode.. and every now and then a scratch on this black end tends to cause the charger to think its not a 15 minute cell, thus I am only running with 3 charged cells and one dead one... I am just gona open it and solder in a resistor... and re-shrink wrap my cells.

pinoyboy
2006.11.13, 03:30 PM
thats interesting, plan to make it a write up for others who may want to pursue that modifiction?

Draconious
2006.11.13, 03:31 PM
eh.. maybe if I do not electricute my self in the process LOL...


I've already taken the charger apart once.. so it shouldnt be that big of a deal... i gota clean out the fan motor anyway its starting to make noises I got some RCP dust in there, prolly in the bearing or something...

maybe I should track down another charger so I dont ruin the only way I charge cells for a race...

rkk
2006.11.13, 07:23 PM
Radio Shack is clearing out there stock. I bought 7 sets (the rest of their stock) from my store for like $7 a set.

pinoyboy
2006.11.13, 07:27 PM
yea, i'll probably stop by tomorrow. The RS website says $7.50 per 4 pack. Maybe it will be lower when I get there.

rharris
2006.11.13, 07:45 PM
They are SUPOSE to be the same, but from what I heard, the radio shacks tend to act up or fail... but it could just be user error...

I think rayovac is quiting the IC3 line too... since I dont see it in any stores any more... I prefer them, so I grabed some discontinued stock from buy.com recently bought a few packs of IC3 for only 5$ a set of 4... :) usualy they are 12-14$ a pack.

They still pop up on ebay now and then...

I do intend to modify mycharger to always be in 15 minute mode tho...

the black end of the cell label is a 10-20ohm resistor, when the charger detects this it enables 15 minute mode other wise it charges in 16 hour mode.. and every now and then a scratch on this black end tends to cause the charger to think its not a 15 minute cell, thus I am only running with 3 charged cells and one dead one... I am just gona open it and solder in a resistor... and re-shrink wrap my cells.

So that's it!!!!

every now and then, one of the cells will keep the green light on. I figured it was a dead cell problem, but I bet it's the charger not kicking in to 15min mode.

Has anyone tried to charge the IC3 on a regular 15min charger?

Draconious
2006.11.13, 08:22 PM
I dont think the energizer 15 minute charger likes them... lol... ill try it right now tho for the heck of it (just opened my pit case a moment ago).

trying to find a 10ohm resistor, but since my meter seems to be giving me random readings I am gona have to wait till I get a new meter lol...

Ninja
2006.11.16, 11:26 AM
i tried to tell some people a while ago that the labels were something for the charger to recognise the IC3 cells from others, the response I got was basically saying I was a retard for even thinking such a thing. Now that this info is coming from someone with electronic expertise I can now let my head swell.

Draconious
2006.11.16, 12:29 PM
Yea I am one of them that regarded that theory as retarded lol... sorry :o not really, just that I wanted to verify and test it myself...

I had to wait till I pealed one off, then I tested it, and put my electronics meter on the label, its about 10ohms about 5mm apart, but if you go all the way around its like 20+ohms... I originaly debunked this because I tried shorting out the sensor tabs to make them closed... this failed since it requires the 10-20 ohms or whatever value, not sure on the value, now that I know my meter is fubar, giving bad readings.

As for using a regular 15 minute charger...

I put a set on my rayovac 1 hour (PS4), and a set on my Energizer 15 minute charger... it will charge them. However... it will take far longer, because the cells shut off and on constanty through the charge to keep from over charging, and it usualy takes a few seconds before they turn back on... which is what delays the charge. It does this because the charger does not know they are this type of cell... and it just thinks you put a new cell to charge in the slot. It also is up to you to decide when they are full.. since it will just keep opening and closing, I am not sure it will stay opened when they are full or not, it did apear to... but I wont say it did. Also the 15 minute energizer, was making them warm when I first started so I unplugged it and left it... but I decided to try again with same cells... and it apeared to charge as I mentioned above.

So it will charge them, but I would watch them to make sure... I did not use the cells no idea if they had punch or a good charge, I would asume they had a pretty good charge though... will test again when I have car ready to run and a track to drain them on.

I am actualy going to lug my 1 hour charger to track from now on to keep a set in there as backup.

Ninja
2006.11.16, 10:31 PM
no hurt feelings. It did seem kind of like a crazy idea since it had never been incorporated before in another brand of cell.

Blisster
2006.11.17, 04:05 PM
I jsut picked up a set of these for $7.99 at my local Rat Shack. However my Energizer 15 minute charger doesn't seem to like them. When I first put them in I had the steady solid red light, but after a few minutes it kicked over to the blinking red light.

Draconious
2006.11.17, 04:14 PM
Yea I just tried charging another set in my energizer charger, it went blinking... wich is the error light, not sure why it charged the first set......... was charging them to go to race.. in a few minutes.